10 confirmed measles cases so far in King and Pierce counties

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A child with the tell-tale sign of measles on the back. (Photo: KCPQ-TV)

TACOMA — It’s a serious health alert for thousands in our area.

The first measles case was confirmed after a child from King County had just returned from a trip to the Pacific Islands on Memorial Day.

Now, that one case has multiplied, spreading from one King County family to an unrelated family in Pierce County.

Ten measles cases have been confirmed as of Friday. Nine of the 10 are from members of the same King County family. Members of that family sought help at Mary Bridge Emergency Department and unknowingly passed the measles to a 13-month-old Pierce County baby at the hospital on June 10.

“Doing everything we can to make sure that person and people around that child are protected,” Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department spokeswoman Edie Jeffers said.

The family of the 13-month-old then went to St. Joseph Medical Center Emergency Department on June 24-25, not realizing the child had measles.

Health officials are now contacting all the people who may have been exposed to both families.

“Taking the step of immunization is the right thing to do for the community,” Jeffers said.

But a child has to be 12 months or older to get the first round of shots.

That’s why it’s vital for all adults and pregnant women to get vaccinated if they haven’t already.

“If she has been vaccinated and, in fact, immune to measles, it will pass that protection on to the newborn child,” Dr. Christopher Kodama of MultiCare Health Systems said.

If you have the measles, you could break out in a rash.

“It starts on your face and can actually move and migrate down to your body,” Kodama said.

Other symptoms include a fever, cough, runny nose and red watery eyes.

Kodama says if you think you may have the measles, always call ahead before showing up to the hospital.

“The risk of spreading measles can occur four days prior to the emergence of the rash and typically four days after the rash is gone,” said Kodama.

Families already vaccinated say it should be a community effort to contain the measles outbreak or it could continue to grow.

“First and foremost I don’t want to get measles and I don’t want to be spreading it,” Koko Waters-Vogel said.

6 comments

jjjj

jeff

This should anger everyone in King County and Pierce County. People can believe whatever they want, but when that belief interferes with another person's safety and their pursuit of happiness that crosses the line. The parents who failed to have their children immunized against measles should be sued by those who caught this disease.

Bet

So….is turn about fair play? What about when your belief in vaccination interferes with an unvaccinated {because their parents have spent hours of research and chosen to not inject their kids with toxins, etc.} child's safety and pursuit of happiness? Does that also cross the line?
As my mama always said: what is good for the goose is good for the gander….

Awareness

Why do people get a measle shot if you can still get the freaking measles anyways after getting a shot…Where are the REAL people's names, interviews, or physically being on the news showing measeles….Just pictures….We will see if this turns into a "Epidemic". I didn't see any physical evidence of children here having it….Pictures don't count they could have been taken any where. People should not be forced or feared into immunization. Look what is the actual ingredients in the shots, ask the doctor for the papers that come with the vaccine.